...

"Where is Zhang Ling?"

"Where is Zhang Ling?"

"Where is Zhang Ling?"

The three roars rolled across the nine heavens like thunder. Lei Zhao Celestial General held a gilded, sky-calling Treasure Mirror. The mirror’s surface emitted myriad rays of light, reflecting the mountains and rivers of the lower realm, yet it could not find the figure in white.

The mirror’s light swept over the Sword Alliance, skimmed past the Suspended Mountain, even causing ripples in the World Essence’s barrier, yet it showed only empty void.

Lei Zhao Celestial General’s heart suddenly throbbed — to remain concealed under the Sky-calling Treasure Mirror, one must have entered the core of the World’s Origin.

"Hmph, thinking you can hide in the World Essence, does not mean this seat can’t deal with you!"

He snorted coldly, then turned to look at the Golden Armor Celestial Soldiers behind him, heavily tapping the Thunder God’s War Hammer in his palm:

"All Celestial Soldiers heed my command! First, wipe out the Sword Alliance remnants, then set up the Ten Directions World Extermination Grand Array! Even if all things in this world perish and evolve anew, this seat will drag that traitor out and tear him to pieces!"

Before the words settled, he swung his arms mightily with the Thunder God’s War Hammer. The Jiuxiao Divine Thunder swirling around the hammer’s body surged instantly, transforming into a vast sea of purple-gold thunder.

"Boom——"

The sea of thunder poured down, countless godly thunders as thick as buckets interwove into a net, covering the direction where the Sword Alliance resided.

Wherever the thunder light passed, the void was scorched with black marks, and merely the dissipation of the thunder’s might caused the earth below to crack with cobweb-like fissures.

This strike held enough might to turn everything within ten thousand miles around the Sword Alliance into ashes.

Inside the Pan Sword Sect, the cultivators of the Sword Alliance were as pale as paper, many young disciples so terrified they collapsed on the ground.

Venerable Yellow Jade stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing at the sea of thunder above, exhaling a deep breath. Yet there was not a trace of fear in his eyes:

"I am but a mediocre person, having followed the Sword Sovereign for half a life, slaying demons and stabilizing the world, cultivating to become a Yin Spirit Venerable; this life is without regret!"

With that, he calmly closed his eyes, welcoming death!

However, just as the sea of thunder was about to touch the Mountain Protection Array, a clear and melodious sword cry resounded through the entire world!

A sword light suddenly appeared from the void, not blindingly dazzling, but an extremely faded blue-purple, as if it was the first sharpness when heaven and earth first opened.

The instant the sword light descended, time seemed to halt entirely, the vast sea of thunder abruptly dissipated, leaving not a trace of electric light.

The Sword Alliance cultivators looked up in astonishment, only to see a white-clad figure slowly condensing in the void.

Chen Sheng stood with his hands behind his back, his white garments untouched by dust, as Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rose and fell with him.

Without intentionally projecting his presence, he naturally exuded a majesty of "heaven and earth bow to none but me," as if he embodied the rules of this world.

"Sword Sovereign!"

"The Sword Sovereign has returned!"

After a brief deadly silence, Sword Heart Cliff erupted into ecstatic shouts, many disciples shedding tears of joy.

Yet the rational cultivators still felt heavy-hearted — though the Sword Sovereign was mighty, he was ultimately invincible in the mortal realm. How could he withstand enemies from the heavens?

Faced with Lei Zhao Celestial General, the Heavenly Immortal Sovereign, and three thousand celestial soldiers and generals, what chances of victory did he have?

On the firmament above, seeing Chen Sheng appear, Lei Zhao Celestial General’s tense nerves actually eased, a hint of a cold, proud smile teasing the corner of his lips.

His earlier words aimed to force the opponent out.

Even though he could indeed deploy the World Extermination Grand Array, harvesting the World’s Essence and forcing the opponent out.

But such actions would not credit his efforts, and would drastically detract from them instead.

Lei Zhao Celestial General didn’t know the reason, but he had been warned not to act in such a manner, including those Descent Immortals. At most, they were allowed to extract a few strands of fortune, but were never permitted to cause havoc.

Essentially, this was because the Heavenly Emperor was not after the Small Thousand World’s essence, but rather a more core principle, a part of the authority comprising the entire Medium Thousand World.

Once the Small Thousand World regenerated, the principles would escape, leaving no choice but to start anew.

"Such a bold Sword Cultivator, daring to take responsibility!"

Lei Zhao Celestial General’s tone contained a trace of contrived admiration:

"It’s a pity you’ve defied the Heavenly Court, a crime beyond pardon, otherwise, this celestial general wouldn’t mind sharing three cups with you and discussing the Dao!"

These words seemed bold but concealed a probing intent, trying to capture the moral high ground before crushing him with absolute strength.

But Chen Sheng merely looked at him calmly, as if watching a clown, and lightly uttered four words:

"An upstart’s triumph."

"Insolence!"

Lei Zhao Celestial General erupted in fury, the aura of Heavenly Immortal exploding around him: "Sword Cultivator, do not think that understanding the Dao Domain makes you arrogant! Our cultivation is worlds apart..."

The word "apart" had not yet been uttered when he suddenly fell mute, his eyes widening, filled with disbelief and astonishment.

Only to see the void above Chen Sheng’s head suddenly split open a fissure.

A golden beam of origin light descended, containing the most pristine power of origin in this world, like a waterfall pouring into Chen Sheng’s body.

His aura surged visibly to the naked eye — the barrier of early-stage True Immortal shattered instantly, mid-stage, late-stage, peak, in just moments it was perfected!

Above the Golden Bridge, the Guiding Immortal Light suddenly descended, a golden immortal ladder extending down from the clouds, attempting to guide Chen Sheng to ascend.

But Chen Sheng merely waved his sleeve, and the Guiding Immortal Light receded like a tide, his aura still escalating!

Early-stage Profound Immortal, mid-stage, late-stage, the Power of Origin burned like fuel, propelling his realm to continually break through.

When his aura reached the pinnacle of Profound Immortal, thousands of Dao principle runes lit up around Chen Sheng, and a visionary Heaven of Heart was abruptly established.

Within the visionary heaven, Yin and Yang generated and perished, and all things evolved, precisely a miniature scene of a Tribulation Crossing Daoist Monarch creating a universe!

"How is this possible!"

Lei Zhao Celestial General cried out in shock, the traitor before him could actually harness the Power of World Origin to soar from a Yin Spirit to a Heavenly Immortal in a matter of moments.